[#2014-01] Lion’s Mane Inanaga, Kazutoyo Marked improvement of neurocognitive impairment after treatment with compounds from Hericium erinaceum: A case study of recurrent depressive disorder

1.Introduction

Hericium erinaceum (HE; “Yamabushitake” in Japanese) is an edible mushroom that was named after the pom-poms worn by traditional warrior monks or the Yamabushi. HE has numerous multifunctional biological activities such as suppressing endo­plasmic reticulum stress, antioxidant activities, and stimulating nerve growth factor (NGF) synthesis. Several compounds extracted from HE exhibit neuro-protective activity in the brain [1234].

Our group previously reported 3 cases of mild neurocognitive disorders resulting from neuromedical treatments [5], which were successfully treated using H. erinaceum.

In this report, we describe an 86-year-old male patient with recurrent depressive disorder, who displayed mild cognitive impairment during antidepressant treatment with Mirtazapine. Mirtazapine was replaced HE extracts (Amyloban^Ⓡ3399). After 6 months, the cognitive function and body weight of the patient was restored, and he remains free from depression. Amyloban^Ⓡ3399 could be a useful antidepressant, particularly to treat geriatric depression, with no known adverse reactions.